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C. W. HARPER.

ELECTBODE ADJUSTING MEANS. APPLICATloN FILED APR.29. |920.

vPatented 1.1111111921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE.

CHARLES W. HARPER, OF CHICAGQ, LL'JZNOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BOOTH ELECTRIC FUR- NACE CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATON. OF IL'LNOIS.

ELECTRODE-ADJUSTING MEANS.

T 0 aZZ w hom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CHARLES lV. HARPER,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anev7 and useful lmprovement in Electrode-Adjusting Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to means for adjusting electrodes in electric furnaces; and the primary object is to provide simpluied and improved means of this character.V l

The invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a broken vertical sec tional view of an electrical furnace equipped with electrode-adjusting mechanism embodying the invention; Fig. 2, broken end elevational view ot the electrode-adjusting mechanism; and Fig. 3, a broken longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2.

In the illustration given, A represents a furnace-body of the rotary or oscillating type. Such furnaces are usually supported on rollers. ln the illustration givenA the furnace-body is equipped with an insulated annular track A mounted on rollers (not shown) and rotated or oscillated by means of gear mechanism A2. It will be understood that an annular track A is provided near each end of the furnace-body; and these annular tracks serve as annular conwhich are engaged by brushes B (one shown).

C, C, represent the electrodes, which in the illustration given, are axially disposed and extend through the end walls of the furnace. At the ends of the furnace are provided electrodesupporting trames and electrode-ad justing mechanism. rl`he construction at one end of the furnace is illustrated, but this may be substantially duplicated at the opposite end. D represents an electrode-supporting frame, which comprises an inner plate l secured to the end wall of the furnace,v an outer end plate 2, and guide-rods 3 connectingsaid plates. Upon the guiderods 3 is mounted a slide or carriage 4, which may be of any suitable construction. and which carries the electrode-clamping means 5, which may be ot any suitable con- Speeieaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application led April 29, 1920. Serial No. 377,528.

struction. .The carriage, or slide, 4f, is actuated by means ot screw'rods 6 which are journaled in the plates l and 2 in such manner as to be longitudinally immovable. The intermediate portions of the screw rods pass through internally-threaded bearings 7, so that the carriage will be adjusted toward or away from the end ot the furnace when the screw rods are actuated. rhe outer ends ot the screw rods extend through and are ournaled in'bearings 8, with which the outer end plate 2 is provided. The projecting ends ot the screw rods are equipped with pinions 9, iXedly secured to the screw rods. The pinions 9 are actuated by an annular gear l0 which is forme-d integrally with the tubular shank l0EL on an annular hand-wheel 1.01. The body of the gear l0 forms a flange which bears against the outer tace of the plate 2, and the tubular shanlr ot the handwheel is confined against removal from its bearing in the plate 2 by means of a. collar 10C, which is threaded on the inner end of the tubular shank.

T he electrode clamp 5 is connected by a flexible conductor l1 with the annular contact member A. The annular contact members will be charged through a suitable local electric circuit, and the circuit will be completed through the flexible conductors l1 (one shown), the electrode clamps and the electrodes, the furnace operating by means ot an are between the inner ends of the electrodes.

lt will be understood that the carriage 4 may be moved toward and away from the furnace by turning the hand-wheel 10b in the bearing provided therefor in the outer end-plate 2. Rotation of the hand-wheel causes the gear l0 to actuate the pinions 9 and turn the screws 6, thus actuating the carriage in one direction or the other, depending upon the direction in which the hand-wheel is turned.

The construction provides Jfor the well balanced operation of the screw-rods, and through the medium thereof, of the electrode-clamping means. Moreover, the construction atords a free passage through the hand-wheel for accommodating the elec trede.

rl`he foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

IVhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In means of the character set forth, the combination of an electrode-supporting frame, a carriage mounted thereon and equipped with electrode-clamping means, screw-rods ournaled in said frame and haviug threaded connection with said carriage, pinions on the outer ends of said screw-rods, and a hand-Wheel journaled in said frame and equipped with a gear engaging said pinions.

In means of the character set forth, the combination of an electrocle-supporting frame comprising guide-rods and an outer end plate, a carriage mounted on said guiderods, screw-rods journaled in said frame and having threaded engagement with said carriage7 a hand-Wheel having a tubular shank journaled in the outer end plate and equipped with a gear, and pinions secured on said screw-rods and engaging said gear.

3. In means of the character set forth, the combination of an electrocle-supporting frame comprising an inner end plate and an outer end plate, guide-rods connecting said plates, a carriage mounted on said guiderods and equipped with electrode-clamping means, screw-rods journaled in said plates and having threaded engagement with said carriage, a hand-Wheel having a tubular shank journaled in the outer end plate and equipped eXteriorly with a gear, and pinions mounted on the outer ends of said screwrods and engaging said gear.

el. The combination With a furnace-body adapted to turn about an axis, an electrodeframe projecting from one end of said body, an electrode-carriage mounted on said frame and equipped With a clamp, an electrode mounted in said clamp, and an adjustingscrew for said carriage, of an annular handwheel for actuating said zuljusting-serew having its axis co-axial with the furnacebody and through which said electrode extends.

5. rI`he combination of an electrode-frame. an electrode-clamp slidably mounted thereon, an electrode carried by said clamp, an adjusting-screw Aadapted to adjust said clamp, and an annular hand-Wheel through which the electrode extends and which serves to actuate said adjusting-screw.

CHARLES IV. HARPER. 

